Lent’s Final Day

Luke 24: 38-53
He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Reflection
Two things.

First, “While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering.”

Really? Jesus is standing right in front of them, and they are having trouble believing it? I don’t know about you, but I find that a little awkward. A little bit of a letdown. I mean, shouldn’t the disciples be these people of incredible faith, who just believed?

Apparently, Jesus’ movement leaves room for wondering, even when Jesus is standing right in front of us.

That’s good to know.

Second, we have work to do. Here’s where the revolution goes into full swing. We’re to take Jesus’ way of living into the world. Not just to the surrounding towns and villages. Not just to the people who live within our borders. But, rather, “to all nations.”

Jesus has been raised from the dead, and that is truly, truly wonderful news. But, the implications of that are so big, that we’re to take this message out to the people who need it. The people desperate to hear it. The people who need to know the fulness of God’s love.

The people who need to know that when it comes to God, death doesn’t have the last word. In fact, in the wake of the Resurrection, the whole concept of “last word” has to be seriously revisited.

…Oh, and congratulations on reading the WHOLE Gospel of Luke! Well done, and Happy Easter!